The vegetation of the northeastern Orange Free State, South Africa: physical environment and plant communities of the Ea land type

摘要

The research was carried out in the Ea land type of the northeastern Orange Free State, with the objective of reclassifying and refining Acocks's veld types. TWINSPAN classification results were further refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures. The 100 relev^s distributed over the Ea land type resulted in the recognition of four major vegetation types which may be divided into nine plant communities. The communities were hierarchically classified, described and ecologically interpreted. DECORANA ordination was used to determine vegetation/environmental gradients and relationships.